NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Coach Billy Donovan said at the start of training camp that he would let the point-guard battle play itself out, and on Thursday, he made it clear that he meant all the way out.
The Bulls have had four practices at Belmont University, but there has been only one live scrimmage — on Wednesday night. That will change soon with scrimmages planned for Friday and Saturday.
With the preseason beginning Sunday in Milwaukee, Coby White apparently has been getting the most reps as a pure point guard, but that doesn’t mean a decision has been made or was close to being made on the starter.
Jevon Carter and Ayo Dosunmu were doing their best to make sure of that.
“Coby has been playing back there; Jevon and Ayo were both back there on the same team, so they kind of traded off,’’ Donovan said. “This is the third day? [White] has played all point. He hasn’t played off the ball. Some of that is how the [scrimmage] teams have been coordinated, but he’s done a good job.’’
Donovan warned not to read too much into it if White is the starter against the Bucks. There’s still uncertainty at that position, and they also have to see how the other units function with each other.
“The first day was probably just trying to install,’’ Donovan said of the process. “There wasn’t as much playing as you would want. [Wednesday] was trying to clean up, no contact. [Wednesday night were] the first scrimmages.
“Probably switching up the guys and giving different looks on the teams is what we’re going to continue to do.’’
Winging it
Patrick Williams made it clear last season that he’s not enamored with being a traditional in-the-paint power forward, instead labeling himself “a wing player.’’
Williams has been heard.
The offense has been tweaked to put him in more wing situations and actions, he said.
“They definitely kind of tweaked the offense a bit to where me specifically or guys that are at the four are more involved with the ball in their hands or making plays with the ball in their hands,’’ Williams said. “I’m a four, but it’s more so now being a wing, which I would like more.’’
Last season, Williams shot 41.5% from three-point range.
The question for Williams, however, is whether he’ll be a wing with the starters or off the bench. Torrey Craig might have a say in that, although Williams has been running with the starters in most of the training-camp scrimmages.
“Obviously, every player wants to start, but I want to come in and be able to play my game,’’ Williams said. “Part of being a team is you have to trust the people that you are on the team with. Not only the players, but the coaching staff. You have to trust the plan they have for you. You have to sacrifice. It may not be what you want.’’
Clean bill of health
It was a knock-on-wood moment for Donovan when he was asked about his team’s health so far in camp.
Donovan said no player has been on a restriction or missed any part of practice time. That’s a huge change for a team that always seems to be hampered with an injury to start the season. Obviously, there’s still the Lonzo Ball dilemma, but the organization ruled him out of the 2023-24 season in the spring.
